55. Dunvegan Keep
Looking to thwart the efforts of the Infernal House Alekto in the mundane world to earn the personal assistance of her diabolical patrons in her eventual fight against Madog the Inferno, Clwyd learned from the Siblings of Agnor that the devils were connected with the Northern Margrave of the Rumidian Empire, Clan MacLeod. The crew of the Drunken Dragon set sail, beat a quick pace, and sailed through a mighty magical storm that nearly destroyed their ship, if not the crew themselves, all so they could reach the island of Newwe Rumidia and its capital, the city of Dunvegan Keep, in time for the harvest close festival that Clwyd suspected would be coinciding with the Hells Revels Clan MacLeod were to carry out in the name of Alekto. Along the way, they met some halfling merchants and their crew, along with a Rumidian bureaucrat named Simwe Concort who was hitching a ride to Newwe Rumidia himself. In the wake of the storm, with over half their crew dead, the merchant halflings nearly faced a mutiny. But the merchants' loss was the Drunken Dragon's gain: on arrival in Dunvegan Keep, the party welcomed some new crew mates aboard who were keen to jump ship. * About Dunvegan Keep: ** Population: roughly 120,000, vast majority being human. ** The city is divided by its walls into three distinct areas: *** High Town - the original city. Most buildings here are made of stone, most roads are cobbled, and most of the residents are noble born, wealthy, and influential. Only one gate leads from outside the city directly into High Town, the Black Iron Gate. And nestled at the top of High Town is Dunvegan Castle, the seat of the margrave. *** Low Town - the 'new' city. A wider city wall surrounds Low Town, and the walls of High Town divide the two areas. Lots of wooden buildings, packed dirt roads, and more salt-of-the-earth professions found in this part of the city. Four gates lead from Low Town to High Town and a further four lead from Low Town out the city proper. *** Out Town - the collective name for the various satellite settlements that have cropped up outside the city's walls. Each of the city's external gates has its own village or town-like settlement spilling from it, and two more have cropped up on either side of the large stone bridge known as Red Rock Crossing that spans the river near the city. ** Surrounding geography: *** Lake Dunvegan: the city is built on the shore of this oval-shaped lake. It's 6-miles-long at its widest, and 2.5-miles-long at its narrowest. *** The Dun River: running from Lake Dunvegan to the ocean, this river is about a mile wide near the city. *** The Margrave Woods: a couple hours ride from the Black Iron Gate, these woods have long been a popular hunting spot for the Northern Margrave. * The evening of the Vernal Equinox, first night of the harvest close festival - which would go on for a week, ending with its final night on Fallingleaf 6. The party paid their dock fees (50gp at festival time), letting them keep the Drunken Dragon moored for a period of 'not more than 14 nights.' Then they asked their new crew members, the halfling twins Poppy and Poe Tenpenny, to lead the way to a tavern they knew so the party could start gathering some information. ** The streets of Dunvegan Keep were packed with a festival crowd, even in the rainy evening. Moving around took the party a good while. ** Eventually they arrived at a halfling tavern called the Stew Pot. The two-storey tavern was packed to the rafters, hinfolk dancing on tables, minstrels playing about the place. The festival was in full swing. There was not a single table or seat free for them to take. ** They got some drinks - spiced, honeyed wine or mead - and started trying to mingle. ** Pyt spent an hour or so ingratiating himself with the locals, learning the following: *** The four gates leading from Low Town to High Town, usually kept shut for all but the denizens of High Town, are being kept open for the length of the harvest close festival. *** The margrave was inviting people into the castle as part of the festivities. 1000 common folk a day were going to be allowed to pass through the castle gates - first come first serve, admission starting at sundown - for each of the first six nights of the festival. The seventh and final night of the festival was to be for the clan and their sept clans only though, so no others would be admitted. *** Magnus MacLeod is the Northern Margrave and head of his clan. He is married to Cecilia MacLeod. Additionally, Magnus's brothers and their wives are all high ranking members of the clan: Tormod, married to Jean; Roderick, married to Isla; William, married to Ailith; and Alasdair, married to Fenella. *** Clan MacLeod numbers about 200 people. *** In addition, MacLeod are hosting their Sept Clans for the festival. Each of these is a clan of about 40 people, all sworn to MacLeod as their liege lords: **** Clan Beaton, headed by Morag Beaton. **** Clan Harald, headed by Gavina Harald. **** Clan MacCaskill, headed by Angus MacCaskill. **** Clan MacCaig, headed by Fingal MacCaig. **** Clan Cremmon, headed by Tammas Cremmon. * The group head back to their ship, deciding to sleep aboard. The night is still bustling, seemingly every building lit at the front by festival lanterns. It's about 4am when they arrive back at the lakeside docks. ** Aerendyl tries scrying on Ursula, Old White Eyes, before he rests, but the spell is unsuccessful. * About 8am the next day, Fallingleaf 1, Aerendyl polymorphs Clwyd into a wild cormorant, of the sort he'd seen on Lake Dunvegan. He wildshapes himself into the same kind of bird. Then the two of them fly to the castle to check it out. ** The roofs of the castle complex are occupied by dozens of ravens - upwards of 100 in total. Remembering that Nix had advised caution with the birds, they steered clear. ** The grounds inside the castle walls were less occupied than they expected, just the odd servant or stablehand rushing around. Since an elf and a goblin would stick out, they opted to not land inside the castle walls, even though they wanted to poke around a bit. ** They found a back alley near the castle approach in High Town and turned back into their own forms. Then they approached the 'queue' of people hoping to be admitted into the castle that evening. It was more of a throng, a massive mass of bodies filling the whole of the rising approach, right up to the barred castle gates. ** Aerendyl talks to a hopelessly optimistic guy at the back of the throng, learning that the nobles were out hunting in the Margrave Wood outside the city. ** Clwyd and Aerendyl realise they aren't going to be the first 1000 through the gate, even if they wait until evening. They head back to the Drunken Dragon. * Pyt and Wilfred wake up at about midday on their ship. Clwyd and Aerendyl have already left to check out the castle. ** Pyt sees the once-halfling, now reincarnated half-elf, who has remained unconscious since his death and resurrection, writhing about in a hammock, apparently having a bad nightmare. ** Pyt casts dream on the guy, seeing him as a halfling in a small rowboat, screaming like mad, as a storm rages all around him. In the distance, hundreds of shadowy giant figures loom. ** Pyt quells the dream storm, then steps from one of the shadows - they weren't big, they were just close. ** After a brief chat, Pyt leaves the dream and the man wakes up. ** He introduces himself as Garret Strongbones, and he seems pretty chill about now being a half-elf. Looking on the bright side of things, he is excited about being tall and having a big pecker. Also he believes he owes Aerendyl a life-debt now, but is again pretty chill about accepting that. ** Garret accidentally shocks Pyt when he shakes the bard's hand, sending lightning coursing through him and slamming him back into one of the walls of the deck cabin. It seems that Garret now carries part of the magical storm within himself, though it's uncontrolled. * When Aerendyl and Clwyd return to the ship, they're met on deck by Pyt and Wilfred, as well as Taylor, Poppy, Poe, Garret (who's keeping his hands in his pockets now), and Callie - another halfling from the merchant ship, one that Poppy and Poe recommended. ** Taylor says it's clear that the four of them are the senior officers on the ship, even if they haven't come to say it aloud. With a few more people around, he feels it's important to make it clear though. *** He points to Clwyd and says 'Bosun,' in charge of ship repairs and maintenance, and crew discipline. *** He points to Wilfred and says 'Deck Mage,' the senior magical officer aboard the ship, capable of overruling any order if magic is involved. *** He points to Aerendyl and says 'Quartermaster,' in charge of ship supplies (and navigation if there isn't a dedicated navigator); can overrule the captain on any order if the ship isn't in combat or a pursuit. *** He laughs wryly, then points to Pyt and says 'Captain,' the face of the ship, in charge of negotiations and combat orders. ** The four of them kind of shrug a bit and say that it probably doesn't change much about how they've been operating anyway. Taylor agrees. ** They name Taylor First Mate, and he blanches and looks a bit sick. ** Poppy and Poe fight of their ranks as mates, with Pyt saying they can each be 2.5th mate. ** Pyt then goes inside and finds Poop the Brownie, enjoying the inside of the brown sock Pyt had recently nailed to the wall as a bed and home for the little guy. Though he's shy with strangers, Poop agrees to meet the others on Pyt's orders. Poppy turns out to be a big fan. Poop doesn't say much, hides behind his hands from where he's perching on Pyt's shoulder, and runs back to his sock inside at first chance. Garret is told to watch his electro-shock hands near Poop. * They do a bit of magical info gathering. ** Clwyd took the opportunity to send Nix a message, asking about the ravens on the castle. The cambion said that he suspects they would all be imps in the service of MacLeod and Alekto. And if not all, then some. ** Aerendyl tries scrying on Magnus and then Tormod MacLeod, and is unsuccessful with both. He then successfully scries on Cecilia, and sees that she's busy sorting out the inside of the castle halls for further festivities that evening. * With that out the way, they divide up their duties for the day. ** The senior officers were going to go to the Margrave Woods in pursuit of the nobles that were out for a hunt until sunset. ** Poppy and Poe were to go into town searching for any rumours surrounding the castle, the MacLeods, devilry, etc. ** Pyt give Taylor 200gp, telling him to buy whatever equipment he needs for himself and then use the rest to get the supplies Poop needs to start fully fixing the ship post-storm. ** Garret and Callie (and Poop) were to stay with the ship. * Heading out the city, Aerendyl, Clwyd, Pyt, and Wilfred arrive at the edge of the Margrave Forest at about 3pm on Fallingleaf 1 (the second day of the festival).